U.S. citizens from China who may have been exposed to the coronavirus could be arriving at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar as soon as Wednesday, according to base officials.
"MCAS Miramar cannot confirm an inbound flight at this time but is standing by and ready to assist Health and Human Services to receive these passengers and make them comfortable once they arrive," Miramar spokesman Capt. Matthew Gregory told KPBS.
The base says it can support up to 350 people; they’re expecting to house men, women and children. The group will be held at the base for at least 14 days under federal quarantine. The CDC and DHS are handling the evacuees and their medical care. The CDC has a special team on the ground waiting.
Before boarding the plane in China, passengers will be screened for the virus and closely monitored during the flight and while on base. If the virus is detected, that person will be transported to a local hospital.
MCAS Miramar is holding a "community information session regarding passengers subject to federal quarantine" on Tuesday night for families on base to give them more information on what's happening.
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With coronavirus scares coming very close to home in San Diego, two politicians lead a business walk Tuesday in the city's Asian-owned business community in the Convoy Business District in Kearny Mesa.
City Councilman Chris Cate and County Supervisor Nathan Fletcher met with the Asian Business Association of San Diego and business leaders at Jasmine Seafood Restaurant. According to Cate's office, there are 30,000 Asian/Pacific Islander-owned businesses in San Diego County alone, and scares about the respiratory illness coronavirus — which is believed to have started in Wuhan, China — have slowed trade.
"One in every three District 6 residents is of Asian American descent. While everyone must be vigilant at this time to ensure the coronavirus is not spreading, this should not deter individuals from shopping, dining, and supporting San Diego's small businesses." Cate said. "I am reminding everyone that it is business as usual in the Convoy District."
The Convoy District is in the Pacific Triangle bounded by Interstate 805, state Routes 52 and 163. This 2-square mile area consists of hundreds of shops specializing in Asian products and services, supermarkets, tea houses, cafes, karaoke bars and entertainment venues as well as day-to-day service-related shops.
